Friday, April 15, 2011

GALLERY OF INDIAN PRESIDENTS

Dr.Rajendra Prasad(26.1.50 to 13.5.62)

The first President of India was born on 3rd December, 1884 in Bihar. He was Food Minister of the Indian Union in 1947. He was President of the Indian Constituent Assembly during 1946-49. Became the President of the Republic of India on January 26,1950. Died in 1963.

Dr.Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (13.5.62 to 13.5.67)

Born on September 5, 1888 at Tiruthani. He became the Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University in 1931. During 1949-52, he was Indian Ambassador to USSR. In 1952, he was elected Vice-President of India. Awarded Bharat Ratna in 1954. Re-elected Vice President in 1957. He was sworn in as the Second President of India on May 13, 1962. Dr.Radhakrishnan died in 1975.

Dr.Zakir Husain (13.5.67 to 3.5.69)

Born in 1897 at Hyderabad. He persuaded leaders like Hakim Ajmal Khan and Dr.Ansari to found the Jamia Millia at Delhi in 1920. Worked as Vice-Chancellor of the institution for nearly 3 decades. Awarded Padma Vibhushan in 1954 and Bharat Ratna in 1963. He was appointed Governor of Bihar in July 1957. He was elected Vice-President of India in May 1962. He became the President of India on May 13, 1967 and held the ofice till his death on May 3, 1969.

Varahagiri Venkatagiri (3.5.69 to 20.7.69)(acting)

V.V.Giri was born at Berhampore, Orissa on August 10, 1894. He was responsible for the formation of the all India Trade Union Congress, of which he was President twice. A long period of his public life was devoted to building up the All India Railwaymen's Federation. He was Labour and Industry Minister in the first popular ministry in Madras During 1937-39 and served as Union Labour Minister during 1952-54. Served as the Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and Mysore. He served as Vice-President of India from May 13, 1967 to 1969. He was Acting President from 3.5.69 to 20.7.69 after the death of Dr.Zakir Husain.

Justice Mohammed Hidayatullah (20.7.69 to 24.8.69) (acting)

M.Hidayatullah was born on 17th December, 1905 in Maharashtra. He was Chief Justice of India from 1968 to 1970. He was Acting President of India for a short term from 20th July to 21st August, 1969. Later, he served as the Vice-President of India from 1979 to 1984.

Varahagiri Venkatagiri(24.8.69 to 24.8.74) .

V.V.Giri was elected to the Office of the President and was sworn in on 24.8.69. He held office till 24.8.1974. He was awarded the 'Bharat Ratna' in 1975. V.V.Giri passed away in 1980.

Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed(24.8.74 to 11.2.77)

He was born on May 13, 1905. He was called to the Bar from the Inner Temple, London, 1928. Became Union Minister in 1966. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed was sworn in as President on August 24, 1974 and held that office till his death on 11th February, 1977.

B.D.Jatti(12.2.77 to 25.7.77) (acting)

He was born on September 10, 1912 at Savalgi, Bijapur district of Karnataka. He was Chief Minister of Mysore State during 1958-62. He was Vice-President of India from 1974 to 1979. B.D.Jatti held the Office of the President of India temporarily from February 11, 1977 to July 25, 1977.

Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy (25.7.77 to 25.7.82)

He was born on May 19, 1913 in Elluru in Ananthapur district, Andhra Pradesh. He gave up his studies to join the Satyagraha Movement in 1931 and served long terms of imprisonment during the freedom struggle. He became the first chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh in October 1956. He was a Union Minister from 1964 to 1967. He became the President of India on July 25, 1982. Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy passed away in 1996.

Giani Zail Singh (25.7.82 to 25.7.87)

Giani Zail Singh was born on May 5, 1916 in village Sandhwan in Faridkot district. Moved by the Martyrdom of Bhagat Singh, the young Giani took part in the freedom struggle and suffered solitary confinement for 5 years. In March 1972, he became the chief Minister of Punjab. In 1980, Gianiji became Union Home Minister. In 1982, he was elected as the President of India and was sworn on July 25, 1982 and held office till July 25, 1987. Giani Zail Singh died in December, 1994.

R.Venkataraman (25.7.87 to 25.7.92)

R.Venkataraman was born on 4th December, 1910 in Rajamandam, Thanjavur district. He participated in the Quit India Movember of 1942 and was jailed for 2 years. He was a well known labour leader. Between 1957 and 1967 he served as Minister for Industries, Labour, Co-operation, Power, Transport and Commerical Taxes in the Madras State Government. From 1967 to 1971 he was a Member of the Planning commission. In 1980, he became Union Minister for Finance and, later, Minister for Defence. R.Venkataraman was elected Vice-President of India in August 1984. He was elected the President of India in 1987 and held office till July 25, 1992.

Dr.Shanker Dayal Sharma (25.7.92 to 25.7.97)

Dr.Sharma was born at Bhopal on August 19, 1918. He is a Ph.d. from Cambridge University. Was a Bar-at-Law, Lincoln's Inn and Harvard Law School. He participated in the freedom movement and underwent spells of imprisonment. Dr.Sharma was President of the Indian National congress from 1972 to 1974. Chief Minister of erstwhile Bhopal State for 4 years. Governor of Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Maharashtra. He was sworn in as Vice-President of India on September 3, 1987. Dr.Shanker Dayal Sharma assumed office as President of India on 25.7.1992 and held office til July 25, 1997.

Mr.K.R.Narayan was the 10th resident of India from 25th July 1997 to 24th July 2002.

He was born in Kottayam District, Kerala on 27th October 1920.Dr. A.P.J. Adbul Kalam was the 11th President of India from 25th July 2002 to 25th July 2007.

He was born on 15th October 1931 in Rameswarm, Tamilnadu.Mrs.Pratibha Patil is the 12th and the present President of India from 25th July 2007, being the first lady President of India.